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I'm more active on my Author's Facebook than here on The Blog, so I wanted to let you know that I'm posting once per day about women during Women's History Month. When an entire month is set aside to recognize the contributions of a group, this signifies that this group has a history of being marginalized. History reflects just how maligned females have been when they sought something different than what society assumed they wanted. Let's celebrate the courage of women who have paved the way for change--trailblazers, without whom our world would look much different today.

Rosa Parks. What would have happened if she'd done what everyone assumed she'd do...move to the back of the bus? Thankfully, she didn't succumb to societal pressures.

Wilma Mankiller, 1st female Chief of the Cherokee Nation, whose life would have been much different if not for a mentor who extended a hand; in her words, "When I think about women's rights organizations, I think about women extending a hand to other women."

Mary Wollstonecraft, considered 1 of the first feminists. Her most famous work, Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792) called for reform, giving women the same educational opportunities as men.

Rachel Carson, biologist & author of Silent Spring. Through her efforts, DDT was banned and we were spared a "silent spring" (devoid of the sounds of birds & other wildlife that were being poisoned). Her research also showed the correlation between the dramatic rise in cancer and the 200+ chemicals created since the 1940s.

The Venerable Wumei, co-founder of the martial arts system made famous by Bruce Lee.

Malala Yousafzai, who became an activist at 11 yrs old, was shot in the head by the Taliban, survived, and went on to become the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sojourner Truth, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Shirley Chisholm, and others...tune into my Facebook Page to find out more about these women and many more to be highlighted over the remaining days of Women's History Month. My FB page is public so you don't need an account to view it. All are welcome.

As a reminder--I'm featured speaker for Women's History Month on Mon., March 16, at 7pm at Oak Lawn Library. Free admission (corner of 95th Street & Cook Av., easy access from I-294). Hope to see you there if you're in the area.